The steering angle of an automobile is often used as an input parameter for sophisticated vehicle control systems such as four-wheel steering, active suspension, anti-lock braking and traction control. When an electrical signal is required, rotary potentiometer devices are typically employed to sense the handwheel or pinion position. This approach is straightforward but involves the usual drawbacks associated with contacting sensors and fails to account for any discrepancies (due to compliance and hysteresis, for example) between the position of the handwheel or pinion and the actual steering angle.